The AI era has arrived — and with it some misconceptions. Many people are concerned that AI will replace them in the workplace. However, the reality is that AI can help improve our jobs by making us more productive, creative and collaborative.
Bolstered by AI intelligence, many of our roles will add more value to companies. AI will eliminate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, so we have more time to focus on what matters — creating, planning, executing and adding value.
Case in point is one of the latest AI developments from Microsoft®. In November 2023, it launched its new Microsoft 365 Copilot, an AI companion designed to enhance worker productivity, creativity and collaboration — from email management to meeting coordination.
Microsoft 365 Copilot delivers these six leading benefits:
-
- Enhances productivity: Microsoft 365 Copilot streamlines workflows, provides productivity recommendations and automates tasks. This allows workers to focus on high-value activities and achieve more in less time, such as they can get through their email box faster.
- Amplifies human creativity: Microsoft 365 Copilot can help workers strengthen their writing, bring new ideas to life, and analyze and explore data. For example, workers can use the application to identify trends and new ways to make their projects more interesting and memorable.
- Makes meetings more efficient: Microsoft 365 Copilot assists during meetings by answering questions and providing meeting summaries. It can even detect the tone and humor of the participants. This can aid workers in focusing on the meeting and receiving minutes and action items from others without missing any key points.
- Bolsters insights and recommendations: Microsoft 365 Copilot helps users create ideas and content faster, complete time-consuming tasks, and gain insights simply by describing what’s needed. For example, workers can gather cutting-edge information to create more impactful presentations.
- Supports a seamless work experience: Microsoft 365 Copilot is integrated with Microsoft 365 applications, including Teams, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel.
- Supports responsible and secure AI: Microsoft 365 Copilot helps to ensure enterprise-grade security, privacy and compliance.
Microsoft 365 Copilot study findings
In its 2023 Work Trend Index Special Report of 297 users, Microsoft gained the following insights about its new AI assistant:
-
- 85% get to a first draft faster
- 75% saved time by finding what they needed in files
- 70% were more productive
- 68% improved work quality
- 64% spend less time processing email
Respondents also claimed that they could catch up on missed meetings 4x faster, and 77% of the initial users of Microsoft 365 Copilot didn’t want to give it up.
The gold standard for AI assistants
At Rackspace Technology®, we believe that Microsoft 365 Copilot will become the gold standard for workplace productivity — eventually everyone will be using it. Organizational adoption is likely to come in three waves:
- Early adopters: Hyped companies will get it first and share their results and findings, thereby, encouraging other companies to get onboard.
- Studied adopters: These companies will prepare their environments prior to adopting Microsoft 365 Copilot to fully take advantage of its benefits.
- Late adopters: These companies will feel pressure from the workforce and adopt Microsoft 365 Copilot to remain competitive in the marketplace.
To fully take leverage the benefits of Microsoft 365 Copilot, it’s important to understand how it works, how it’s integrated across a company’s application environment, and how to design prompts for easy access the information you need.
Preflight Checks for Microsoft 365 Copilot
Secure your data, simplify setup and watch efficiency skyrocket.